Aurora Cultural Arts plans for poetry

AURORA — There is a great lack of appreciation for poetry in this world, said board members of the budding Aurora Cultural Arts District.

In an effort to change that, they brainstormed with Tracy Weil, managing director of the arts district, and came up with a weekend-long celebration of spoken word art called Poetry @ Play that takes place in different locations all over Aurora.

"We wanted whatever we did to be community-focused as well as create a signature event for the art district," Weil said. "It's always a trick to find out what niches work with which districts."

Weil is one of the founders of the River North Art District in Denver. He said comparatively, Aurora's art scene is made up mostly of theaters and educational centers rather than galleries, and that demographic needed to be considered when searching for the city's ideal annual art festival.

"Poetry is a great thing," Weil said, "It's really approachable and I think people relate to it."

The readings begin at 3 p.m. Sept. 20 at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy, 10100 E. 13th St. There, Aurora Public School students in 9th-12th grade will read their favorite original poems to the audience.

The evening continues from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Fletcher Plaza near the MLK Library on East Colfax Avenue. Volunteer readers who registered online through the Aurora Cultural Arts District's website will relay their favorite beat poems outside.

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The second day starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Aurora Cultural Arts District's Gallery and Studios at 1400 Dallas St., where preregistered readers spout original poems alongside featured local poets who were chosen by Weil.

The festival wraps up from 9-11 p.m. with more original poetry at the Collection Gallery at 9801 E. Colfax Ave.

Weil is also accepting submissions for visual interpretations of poetry (like paintings created from the inspiration of a poem) online. That gallery will be on display all weekend at the Aurora Cultural Arts District's Gallery and Studios.

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